Tigers try to end skid vs. White Sox

The Chicago White Sox head to Detroit hoping for more fun and less drama during the upcoming four-game series.

Their 4-3, 10-inning loss to Kansas City on Wednesday was marred by a benches-clearing incident. Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson flipped his bat toward the White Sox dugout after hitting a two-run homer, then got mad when Royals starter Brad Keller plunked him in his next at-bat.

"Everybody has those 'unwritten rules,' everybody has their own, I guess," said Renteria, whose team begins its series with the Tigers on Thursday afternoon. "Timmy wasn't showing them up or showing the pitcher up, he was looking into our dugout, getting the guys going. Get him out. You want him to not do that? Get him out."

The White Sox had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Anderson has been the team's hottest hitter. He sports a lofty .424 average along with four homers and 12 RBIs.

"We're are having a lot of fun and playing good ball," Anderson told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We are going to continue to (do that), and we got Detroit. We are going to have fun. Continue to be us."

Chicago third baseman Yoan Moncada left the Wednesday game after getting hit in the head with a catcher's throw while swiping second base. He tested negative for a concussion. The White Sox's starting pitcher, Lucas Giolito, exited in the third inning due to hamstring tightness.

Additionally, outfielder Daniel Palka was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after the game despite snapping his 0-for-32 slump with a seventh-inning single.

The White Sox's scheduled starter on Thursday, right-hander Ivan Nova, has posted two quality starts along with one clunker this season. He limited the Cleveland Indians to one run in seven innings, surrendered seven runs to the Seattle Mariners in 2 1/3 innings, then held the New York Yankees to one run in six innings.

Nova (0-2, 5.28 ERA) has only collected 11 strikeouts, but the 32-year-old has stayed in the strike zone, issuing just three walks.

The Tigers have traditionally given Nova fits. He is 0-3 with a 5.36 ERA against them in eight career appearances, including seven starts.

Detroit will be seeking to snap a five-game losing streak. The Tigers lost to Pittsburgh in extra innings for the second consecutive night on Wednesday, 3-2 in 10 innings.

Charged with trying to get the Tigers back on track will be right-hander Tyson Ross (1-2, 3.50 ERA). He took the loss Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, giving up four runs on five hits and four walks while striking out three in six innings.

That was the second time in three starts this year that he walked four batters, and he wound up with a defeat each time.

Still, Ross has gone at least six innings in each of his past two starts, and he has 15 strikeouts in 18 innings. Plus he is 3-0 with a 3.51 ERA in five career appearances, four starts, against the White Sox, although he has walked 16 batters in 25 2/3 innings.

The Tigers need Ross to come through after the rotation took a big hit when Matt Moore opted to have surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee. Moore underwent the operation on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season.

"Our staff is going to be fine," manager Ron Gardenhire said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "I'm more concerned with Matt Moore. He was throwing the ball really well. This was a blow for him and our ballclub, but I'm more worried about the guy than anything else."